Scientists from the universities of Bristol and Exeter presented wild jackdaws with a task where access to tasty mealworms depended on which individuals visited together.

The birds soon switched friends to get the best rewards, but they stuck with their offspring, siblings and mating partners (jackdaws pair for life) no matter what the outcome.

The study, led by Dr Michael Kings and Dr Josh Arbon, under the supervision of Professor Alex Thornton as part of the Cornish Jackdaw Project, provides new insights on how animals manage social relationships.

Read the full University of Bristol news item

‘Wild jackdaws can selectively adjust their social associations while preserving valuable long-term relationships’ by M Kings and J Arbon et al. in Nature Communications.